HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 303 



at Great Finborough, in Suffolk, (one of his estates, and afterwards 

 the principal residence of his eldest son), close by the side of his 

 deceased wife. 



WESTON-ON-TRENT is a small village situated on the banks of 

 the river Trent, about a mile to the north of Ingestre Hall. The 

 Grand Trunk canal passes through this village, and the turnpike- 

 road between Stafford, Stone, &c. This village is apparently pros- 

 perous, and contains two inns, and several smaller tenements and 



The Church is an ancient structure, in the Gothic style of ar- 

 chitecture, and was built in 1685, as appears by an inscription on 

 a stone over the southern entrance. This edifice is of stone, with 

 a low strong tower, ornamented with large open Gothic windows, 

 and partly covered on the southern side with a flourishing ivy 

 tree. A spire about twenty feet high rises from the centre of this 

 tower, and is terminated by a vane. Two large yew trees, one of 

 them with the " high top dry with bald antiquity/' stand among 

 the tomb-stones in the church-yard, and are picturesque objects. 



Weston church is a curacy : the Rev. Benjamin Johnson is the 

 present minister. 



The principal part of the fertile parish of Weston-on-Trent'is 

 the property of Earl Ferrers. The population of this parish in 

 1811, was as follows : 52 houses, 52 families; 209 males, 185 fe- 

 males. Total of inhabitants, 394. 



The situation of the village of Weston is particularly pleasant, 

 and affords a delightful view of a variety of interesting objects. 

 The ancient village church with its airy spire ; barges constantly 

 passing along the canal, towed by horses; the turnpike-road, with 

 a handsome stone bridge of one large arch over the Trent ; a corn- 

 mill, at work in a field on the right of the road towards Stafford, 

 and about a mile distant on the same side ; the woody elevations of 

 Sandon Park, with an obelisk to the memory of that great statesman 

 Mr. PITT, on an airy summit environed by trees ; on the left near 

 the bridge, Weston-hall, now a farm-house, in rather a neglected 

 state, and the environs of Ingestre Park, covered with clumps and 

 groves. 



At a short distance from Weston, the old salt-works of Shirley- 

 wich are worthy of attention. The works are now occupied by 

 Mr. Moore, and a small branch is cut from the Grand Trunk Canal, 

 for the conveyance of coals to, and salt from, the works. 



The brine, from which the salt is made, is raised from a saline 



